"We have a birthday present for you, sis," Sirius announced and Del shot up, her wand in her hand in a second. She blinked, her vision adjusting as she realized that it was only Sirius, James, Remus and Peter. "Jeez, no need to hex us."

"What are you doing here?" she gaped. They had gotten into her room, for one, but they had also gotten into the Slytherin common room. "More importantly, how did you get in here?"

"She asks nothing in regards to what her present may be," Sirius commented, glancing back at his friends. He picked up a tshirt that rested on her floor and threw it at her, "Put some clothes on, would you? There are people here."

Del allowed the blanket to drop and James was the first to turn away followed a moment later by Remus and Peter. The latter which Remus had to force to turn away. "Up until a moment ago, I was alone," she pointed out as she slipped her shirt on. "Pass me my crutches would you?"

Sirius grabbed them and handed them to her. She forced herself up and addressed the other boys in the room, "You can turn around now."

The three boys turned in unison and Del had to fight down a laugh. "Care to enlighten me as to what you're doing in my room?" she asked as she made her way to her dresser.

"We have a solution to your problem," Peter piped up and Del raised an eyebrow as she watched them in her mirror.

"Me too," she replied, "You see, I have these four thorns in my side. They just won't shake off." She turned around to look at them, "Any suggestions?"

"Your other problem," Remus spoke up before gesturing to her crutches.

"You've figured out how to fix what, exactly?" she asked in confusion as she leaned back against her dresser for support.

"We figured out how to counter the effects of the jinx your mother placed on you," James explained and she turned to look at him.

"How?"

"You're just going to have to trust us on this one," Sirius suggested before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a phial. He held it out to her, "Here."

She took it and eyed it curiously, "What is it?"

"A potion."

"Thank you for that," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "I meant what's in it."

"Many things," he shrugged, "Just drink it."

Del looked down at the liquid before looking up at her brother, "'Skepticism is the highest duty and blind faith the one unpardonable sin.'"

Sirius rolled his eyes and allowed his hands to drop to his sides, "And who said that, might I ask?"

"Thomas Huxley," she answered, placing the phial on the dresser. "And he's right."

"What, does she just have a catalog of random quotes to fit any given situation in her head?" James inquired, looking around at his friends for an answer.

Del rolled her eyes, ignoring the boy's comment, "What's in it?"

"I don't know," Sirius replied, "Ask Moony."

She looked among the boys before pointing at Remus, "I take it, that's you?"

Remus huffed, "Yes, that's-" he shook his head, "It's just a basic counter-jinx potion with an extra ingredient or two." He reached into his own pocket and pulled another phial out. "This is the leftovers," he informed her before opening the phial and drinking it. "See? I'm fine."

She narrowed her eyes but picked up the phial anyway. She popped out the lid and eyed the liquid warily. After a moment, she lifted the phial to her mouth and downed it.

"So?" Sirius inquired as the girl grimaced. Del shook her head as she looked around at the boys who were watching her. "How do you feel?"

"I feel the same," she answered with a slight frown on their face. She looked down at her legs, "Still as weak as before."

"Hmm," he replied, "We'll try again."

"You don't have to," she pointed out.

"We will," he countered.

"You should go before anyone else wakes up," she suggested.

"Happy Birthday, Del," Sirius told her.

She smiled, "Happy Birthday, Sirius."

"We'll see you at dinner then," he nodded before the four of them left the room.

As soon as the door shut, Del slipped her arms out of the crutches and leaned them against her dresser. She took a deep breath before allowing all of her weight to go to her feet and she couldn't help but smile.

She carefully crossed her room, stumbling slightly here and there but she could do it.

"You lied," someone spoke up from behind her and she started, almost falling in the process. She turned to find James standing there and her eyes widened. He closed the door and walked toward her. "Why did you lie, exactly?"

"I didn't lie," she countered. "I don't feel any different."

He narrowed his eyes at the girl, "But you can walk."

"I could walk before."

"You can walk without assistance."

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

He leaned forward and grabbed the map off of her bed, "We left this behind."

"You've never heard of knocking?"

"Have you ever heard of telling the truth?"

"You can't tell Sirius it worked," she pointed out. "No one can know that I can walk."

"Why?" he inquired, clearly confused.

"My mother has eyes everywhere," Del informed him. "If she were to ever find out that I managed to get around her punishment...She'd find a way to not only punish me but anyone else involved."

James frowned, "I don't know if I can keep this from him."

"'It's better to be ignorant and live in bliss than know the truth and live in agony,'" she stated and he huffed, running a hand through his hair. "Trust me when I say it's best he knows nothing. Don't think of it as keeping something from him, think of it as protecting him."

He ran a hand through his hair, "I got to go."

She smiled tightly, "I'll see you at breakfast."

He nodded in agreement before checking the map and exiting the room.

Del made her way into the Great Hall with a huff, she sat down next to her brother, resting her crutches against the table. "Morning. Again."

"I have something for you," Sirius announced as he pulled a package from his pocket and handed it to her. "Happy Birthday. Again."

She opened the box to reveal a necklace with a silver heart and an infinity sign looped through it with two small topaz gems attached to it. She looked up at her brother with a smile, "It's perfect, thank you."

He waved his hand, "What can I say, I have a gift for gift giving."

She rolled her eyes before pulling out his wrapped present from her pocket and handing it over to him.

He pulled off the wrapping to reveal a box as well. He opened the box and stared at what was inside. Del bit her lip anxiously, "I didn't know if you were going to get one from the Potter's so I got one for you. If they got you one already, think of this as a backup in case you lose it or break it or something."

"I love it," he informed her before throwing his arms over his sister's shoulders and pulling her toward him. She hugged him back, "Thank you."

She smiled, "Of course."

He looked down at the pocket watch with a smile as he examined it. Inscribed on the top was his name only slightly altered, Sirius Orion Black (Potter). Sirius eagerly showed the boys the face of the watch with a grin. He flicked it open to reveal that it was a skeleton pocket watch and he could see all the gears inside as well as the time.

A moment later, the owls with mail flew in and began dropping mail off to each designated student. A package dropped in front of Del and she stared at it for a moment.

She picked it up and turned it over in her hands until she found the black family seal. She was tempted to open it and moved to do so when someone spoke up from behind her.

"You need to come to the Slytherin table and you need to come now," Regulus informed the girl quickly, not bothering to say hello.

She turned to look at him, "What's going on?"

"Mom and dad are here," he explained. "They're looking for you."

Her eyes widened as she handed the necklace Sirius gave her back to the boy. Sirius looked at his sister warily but she merely shook her head. She grabbed her crutches and handed the package to Regulus before getting up.

She made her way over to the Slytherin table as quickly as the crutches would allow her. Del sat down next to Angela and Cynthia, ignoring the looks she was receiving from the Gryffindor table.

"Happy Birthday," Cynthia smiled at the girl.

"Thanks," Del replied, "Now as a present I need you to act like I've been here this whole time."

"What's that?" Angela inquired, pointing at the package in front of the girl.

"Package from my parents, I think," she explained before she pulled off the wrapping. She pulled out a box and opened it to reveal a new pocket watch. Inscribed on it was, 'Delphinus Walburga Nott.' "Does that say Nott?" Angela and Cynthia looked over at the pocket watch and nodded in confusion. "Why the hell does it say Nott?"

Del looked over at Regulus who seemed just as confused as she was. "You swear you know nothing?"

He nodded quickly, "I know nothing."

She huffed, examining the pocket watch when the doors to the Great Hall opened. The chattering died down and Del looked up to find her parents standing there.

Del took a deep breath before sticking her new pocket watch into her pocket. They approached the Slytherin table, looking everywhere but at the Gryffindor table where their disgraced son sat. "Happy Birthday, dear," Walburga smiled. Actually smiled.

The girl faltered, "Um, thanks." She glanced over at Regulus and he seemed startled as well. She looked back at her parents. She shook her head slightly, "Sorry, what exactly are you doing here?"

"We wanted to see you," Orion explained. "See how you were doing after the incident." It had been two months and the last time she heard from them was the letter. She was missing something.

"We can talk somewhere else if you'd like?" she suggested, grabbing her crutches. Her parents nodded and she stood up, slipping her arms into the crutches before making her way around the table and to her parents side.

She glanced over at Sirius only for a moment and he along with his friends appeared worried. Her eyes caught James's and she quickly looked away. "Let's go then."

Her parents led the way and Del followed. They made their way out of the castle and to a secluded area on the grounds. Del reached into her pocket and pulled out the watch, "What's this about?"

"You're seventeen now," Walburga reminded her. "We used our connections."

"To do what exactly?"

"Must you always be so dense?" she inquired and Del was surprisingly glad that her parents dropped the rouse because she had started to get worried. "We arranged a marriage for you."

"Marriage?" Del gaped. "To who?"

"Axelton Nott," Orion answered and Del froze.

"You can't be serious," she replied. "Out of everyone, you chose him?"

"His family is well respected," Walburga explained. "It'll be good for us."

"No," she protested, shaking her head. "I won't do it."

"You think you have a choice?"

"You can't make me."

"You'd be surprised what we can make you do," Orion countered.

Del shook her head, "I have to get back to the Great Hall. My friends have something planned for me and I wouldn't want to be late."

Before her parents could protest, she made her way back into the castle. There was in fact a party planned for both her and Sirius but Del didn't have it in her to attend so she instead made her way back to her room.

She spent the remainder of her day there, not bothering to tell anyone where she was. She seemed to be more exhausted but sleep wouldn't come.

After a significant time past curfew, there was a knock at her door. It was possible that it Cynthia and Angela but other than that, she had no idea who it could have been.

Del opened her door expecting her two friends but raised an eyebrow at who actually was there. "Hey," James greeted and Del grew confused. "Can we talk?"

"Um, I guess so," she agreed before letting the boy in. "It's getting late though."

"It's kind of urgent," he replied.

"Right," she nodded, "I just need to go to the bathroom real quick and then we can talk."

James took a seat at her desk and she entered her bathroom. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote, 'Where are you?' before sending it to James.

She waited anxiously for a response, tapping her wand against her wrist. A moment later, a paper floated in front of her and she grabbed it, 'My room. Why?'

Del tossed the paper into the trash can before walking out of the bathroom. She turned to talk to the not-James but when she looked at the desk where she had left him it was no longer him.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"My assumption was that you wouldn't let me in if I were me," Axel explained as he tapped what appeared to be an envelope against the girl's desk. "I was right."

"That didn't answer my question."

He stood up and crossed the room to her, handing her the envelope he was holding, "A birthday present of sorts."

She took the envelope from him warily and opened it. She felt the color drain from her face as she looked through the pictures. There were some of James and her by the lake talking. Some in the infirmary. Some of James left her room in the middle of the night. Three days. It only took less than three days for someone to find out.

Del looked up at him, "What do you want from me?"

"I think you know what I want," he pointed out and he stepped closer to her. She stepped back but she was pressed against the wall now leaving her with no way out, "You have a choice here. You give me what I want or I tell your parents about your rendezvousing. I'm sure they'd love even more of a reason to hex the Potter boy."

Del slipped out of the bed, pulling the sheet from her bed around herself before grabbing her crutches and making her way to the bathroom. She just wanted to wash the gross feeling from herself but she had a feeling that it would never go away.

"Hey," Axel greeted as he stepped into the shower with the girl. He kissed her neck and she felt her skin crawl, wanting nothing more than to be as far away from him as possible.

"Hey," she replied and he stepped closer to her, pressing her back into his chest. She fought down a grimace, "You should probably go before anyone finds out you're here. I'm not supposed to have boys in here."

"A few more minutes won't kill anyone," he pointed out. He turned the girl around and kissed her along her neck before pressing his lips to hers.

She fought the urge to push him away when a knock could be heard from her door. "It's probably Cynthia and Angela. I told them we could have a sleepover thing for my birthday."

"I'll go tell them another night," he informed her and she wanted to stop him but decided against it.

The boy hopped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist before exiting the bathroom. He opened the door to reveal a smiling James whose face immediately dropped upon seeing Axel standing there.

"Is Del here?" he asked in confusion.

"She's in the shower," Axel explained simply, glancing back at the open bathroom door.

"Oh, um," he tapped the gift against his hand warily, "I'll come back another time."

Axel raised an eyebrow before reaching his hand out, "I'll give it to her."

"Oh, that's fine," he shook his head. "I can just-"

"Is there an issue, Potter?" Axel inquired and James' jaw clenched.

"No," he decided before handing the present over. "Tell her I said Happy Birthday."

"Will do."

James nodded awkwardly before quickly walking away. He glanced back at the now shut door and shook his head before looking down at the real gift in his hand and leaving the Slytherin common room more confused than when he had arrived.